Code on Wages Rajasthan explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rajasthan has made its own rules under the Code on Wages, 2019. For an employer in the State, the first chapters decide how the State Government fixes the minimum rate of wages, how often dearness allowance is revised and which job titles count as unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled or highly skilled. This article explains those opening rules and what they mean for payroll.
The rules are the Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, 2026, and they come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Rule 3 gives the criteria for fixing the minimum rate of wages on a day basis, rule 4 lists the norms and a technical committee, and rule 5 says dearness allowance is revised twice a year, on 1 April and 1 October. The Schedule names the occupations in each of four skill categories.
Which rule set this is
These are the Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, 2026, as notified by S.O.40 dated 12 August 2026 in the Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary of the same date. Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette.
The notification recites that a draft was published on 13 January 2026 under section 67 of the Code on Wages, 2019, that objections and suggestions were considered, and that the State Government makes the rules in exercise of section 67. Rule 1(2) says the rules extend to the whole of the State of Rajasthan. Rule 1(3) reads: "They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette."
The definitions in rule 2 matter in practice. "Geographical Area" means the areas notified as such by the State Government from time to time. "Family" for the purposes of the rules means a spouse, a minor legitimate or adopted child dependent on the employee, a child wholly dependent on the employee's earnings who is receiving education until twenty-one years (and an unmarried daughter), an infirm child, and dependent parents including a woman employee's parents-in-law, whose income does not exceed such income as the State Government may specify. If you want a second reading of the central framework, see rule 1 and 2 of the Central Wages Rules.
If your payroll covers Rajasthan sites, the labour law compliance service can check whether wage structures follow these rules.
How the minimum rate of wages is calculated (rule 3)
Rule 3(1) applies for the purposes of section 6(5) of the Code. The minimum rate of wages is fixed on the day basis, keeping in view six criteria as printed:
| Item | Criterion in rule 3(1) |
|---|---|
| (i) Standard working class family | A spouse and two children apart from the earning employee, equal to three adult consumption units |
| (ii) Food | Net intake of 2700 calories per day per consumption unit |
| (iii) Clothing | 66 meters of cloth per year per standard working class family |
| (iv) Housing | Rent expenditure to constitute 10 percent of food and clothing expenditure |
| (v) Fuel and miscellaneous | Fuel, electricity and other miscellaneous items to constitute 20 percent of minimum wage |
| (vi) Education, medical and contingencies | Children's education, medical requirement, recreation and contingencies to constitute 25 percent of minimum wage |
Rule 3(2) then says how the day rate becomes an hourly and a monthly rate. The daily amount is divided by eight to get the hourly rate and multiplied by twenty six to get the monthly rate. In the division and multiplication, a fraction of one-half or more is rounded to the next figure and a fraction below one-half is ignored. For a five-day working week, the hourly rate so calculated is used to derive the minimum wages for the day.
The rules themselves do not print any rupee rate. The actual rates are notified by the State Government under the Code, so check the current notification before fixing pay. Our general note on minimum wages in Rajasthan gives the wider context, but take figures only from the Gazette notification.
Norms for fixation and the technical committee (rule 4)
When the State Government fixes minimum rates under section 6, rule 4(1) says it shall take into account three things: the geographical area, experience in the area of employment, and the level of skill required in the four categories of unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled.
Rule 4(2) requires a technical committee to advise on skill categorisation of occupations, arduousness of work, hazardous occupations or processes and underground work. Its members are:
- the Labour Commissioner, Government of Rajasthan, as Chairperson;
- a representative of the Department of Skills Planning and Entrepreneurship dealing with skill development;
- the Director, Employment Department;
- two technical experts in wage determination nominated by the State Government; and
- the Additional Labour Commissioner (IR) as Member Secretary.
Under rule 4(3), on that committee's advice the State Government may place occupations in the four categories by modifying, deleting or adding any entry in the Schedule. Rule 4(4) asks the committee to take into account, to the possible extent, the national classification of occupation or the national skills qualification framework or a similar framework.
For the employer this means the category of a job is not left to the establishment. An occupation named in the Schedule sits in the category the Schedule gives, and the Schedule can change by notification.
Variable dearness allowance (rule 5)
Rule 5 is short. Revision of dearness allowance "shall be made twice in a year i.e. on 1st April and 1st October on the basis of price index prepared by the Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India."
Payroll teams should therefore plan two revision points a year for establishments where a notified rate carries a variable dearness allowance. The rule does not print the index figure or the amount of each revision. For how the same subject is handled in the Central rules, see rule 4 and 5 of the Central Wages Rules.
The four skill categories in the Schedule
The Schedule, printed after the Forms, lists occupations under four heads. Each head ends with a catch-all: any other category whose name is not specified but which performs work of that level.
| Category | Examples as printed |
|---|---|
| Skilled workers | Mason, Cook, Carpenter, Tailor, Electrician, Clerk, Typist, Cashier, Driver categories, Welder, Computer Operator |
| Highly skilled | Stenographer, Accountant, Manager, Sales Representative, Medical Representative, Pharmacist, Nurse, Lab Technician |
The semi-skilled and unskilled lists appear in the same Schedule, with similar catch-all words. Read the full list before assigning a job title; the same word, such as "Cook", can appear in more than one category in the printed text, so match the entry to the work actually done.
A worked example
Kavita Textiles, a Jaipur garment unit, employs 60 people on a six-day week. Its HR head, Mahesh, wants to confirm the category for a machine operator and an accounts executive. He checks the Schedule, finds "Machine Operator" among skilled workers and "Accountant" among highly skilled, and records both in the wage file. For the daily rate he relies on the State's notified rate for the category and area, not on any figure in the rules. Twice a year, in April and October, he checks whether a dearness allowance revision applies.
Common lapses
- Treating the rules' criteria in rule 3 as if they gave a rate. They give the method only.
- Using a job title that is not in the Schedule without checking the catch-all entry for that category.
- Missing the 1 April and 1 October revision points for dearness allowance.
- Assuming the rules apply from a date other than the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
Need help with Rajasthan wage rules?
If you are mapping Rajasthan job titles to skill categories or restating salary structures after these rules, our labour law compliance team can review the position against the printed text. Keep the notified rates and the Schedule on file for inspection.
Key takeaways
- The Code on Wages (Rajasthan) Rules, 2026 come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette (rule 1(3)).
- Rule 3 sets the criteria for day-basis minimum wages; the day rate is divided by eight for an hour and multiplied by twenty six for a month.
- Rule 4 lists the norms and constitutes a technical committee that advises on skill categories.
- Rule 5 revises dearness allowance on 1 April and 1 October each year.
- The Schedule groups occupations into four categories, each with a catch-all entry.
Read next
- Rajasthan Code on Wages Rules: working hours, weekly rest, night shifts and overtime
- Rajasthan Code on Wages Rules: registers, wage slip, forms and miscellaneous rules
- Rule 3 of the Central Wages Rules: manner of calculating minimum rate of wages
- The four Labour Codes, 2020: Wages, IR, OSH and Social Security
Disclaimer: Based on the State or Union territory rules named above, as notified under the Labour Codes and consulted on 4 October 2026. Later amendments, State notifications, fees and forms should be checked in the State Gazette and on the State labour department website. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.